New Guinea impatiens plant name ‘KIE186’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘KIE186’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; dark green and yellow green variegated leaves; freely flowering habit; and large light pink-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KIE186’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘KIE186’.

The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new Impatiens cultivars with numerous largeflowers and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Impatiens originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in November, 2000, of a proprietary selection of Impatienshawkeri identified as code number 00-113, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Kidomia, disclosedin U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,143, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thecultivar KIE186 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Gensingen, Germany in April, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings propagatedin a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany since May, 2001 hasshown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations of asexualreproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar KIE186 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘KIE186’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘KIE186’ as a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.    -   3. Green and yellow green variegated leaves.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large light pink-colored flowers that are positioned above        and beyond the foliage.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants ofthe new Impatiens differed from plants of the female parent selection inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of        the female parent selection.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants ofthe new Impatiens differed from plants of the male parent, the cultivarKidomia, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaf variegation of plants of the new Impatiens was less        pronounced than leaf variegation of plants of the cultivar        Kidomia.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of        the cultivar Kidomia.    -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Kidomia differed        in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the New GuineaImpatiens cultivar Balcelbupi, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,410.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants ofthe new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Balcelbupi in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Balcelbupi        differed in foliage color as plants of the cultivar Balcelbupi        had dark green-colored foliage.    -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens and the cultivar Balcelbupi        differed slightly in flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Impatiens. The photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘KIE186’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflower of ‘KIE186’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.during the winter and early spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhouseand under conditions and practices which approximate those generallyused in commercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., nighttemperatures averaged 19° C. and light levels averaged 4,000 footcandles. Measurements and numerical values represent averages fortypical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in one-galloncontainers and were about 18 weeks old when the photographs and thedetailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri cultivar KIE186.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens            hawkeri identified as code number 01-342, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen parent.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Kidomia,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,143.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 23° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 17 days at 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 21 days            at 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days            at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to brown in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and            mounded plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching            habit; about eleven to twelve lateral branches developing at            the base; dense and bushy growth habit. Pinching, that is,            removal of the terminal apices, is typically not required,            but will enhance branching.        -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 46 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Internode length: About 4.5 to 5.5 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 184A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls, simple.        -   Length.—About 11.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate with ciliation.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing            foliage, lower surface: 183A. Fully expanded foliage, upper            surface: Towards the margins, 147A; towards the center,            146B; along midvein, 153C and close to 151D; venation, 184B.            Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Towards the margins,            183B; centers, 182B; venation, 185A.        -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: 184B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary flowers.            Freely flowering habit; usually about four to five open            flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers            positioned above the foliage and typically face upright or            outward. Flowers last about one week under greenhouse            conditions. Petals self-cleaning, gynoecium persistent.            Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse            conditions. In the garden, flowering from spring until fall            in Germany. Plants begin flowering about eight to twelve            weeks after planting.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 5 cm. Depth:            About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm.            Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: 74D.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single            whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.5 cm. Length, lateral            petals: About 2.9 cm. Length, lower petals: About 2.7 cm.            Width, banner petal: About 3.3 cm. Width, lateral petals:            About 2.6 cm. Width, lower petals: About 3.2 cm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper surface: 73A to 73B to 73C, darkest            towards the margins. When opening, lower surface: 73C to            73D. Fully opened, upper surface: 73B to 73C to 73D, darkest            towards the margins; central splotch on banner petal, 73A;            towards the base, 57C; at the base, 57A. Fully opened, lower            surface: 73C to 73D; thin central stripe, 74A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an            elongated spur. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper surface: 59A. Color, lower surface: 63C. Spur            length: About 4.5 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 2.5            mm; at apex, less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Spur color: 60A to 60B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: About 30° to 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 60B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at            anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 3 mm by 4 mm.            Anther color: 160D. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:            158B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length:            About 4 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 181D. Style            color: Darker than 59A. Ovary color: Darker than 59A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea    Impatiens.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been    observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘KIE186’ asillustrated and described.